Rig Veda 9.22.5: Mandala 9, Sukta 22, Mantra 5
Sukta 9.22
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
एते पृष्ठानि रोदसोर्विप्रयन्तो व्यानशुः । उतेदमुत्तमं रजः ॥
eté pṛṣṭhā́ni ródasor viprayánto ví ānaśuḥ | utédám uttamáṃ rájaḥ ||
यह सब रिशियों की तरह चले हैं और दोनों दुनिया की ऊंचाई तक पहुँच गए हैं। उन्होंने सबसे ऊपर वाली जगह को छुआ है, वो सबसे बड़ी और चमकदार जगह।
Word by Word
- एते
- these (they)Pronoun/Determinerपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / एष-प्रातिपदिक
- पृष्ठानि
- backs; ridges; surfacesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (with एते; apposition)Root पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदसोः
- of the two worlds (heaven and earth)Noun (dual compound sense)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, द्विवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘heaven-and-earth’)
- विप्रयन्तः
- moving forth; advancing; streamingParticiple (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; वर्तमानकालिकःRole Kartā (qualifying the subject)Root वि + प्र + √इ (धातु) → विप्रयन्त् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, शतृ)
- व्यानशुः
- they have reached; they attainedVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role Kriyā (finite verb of the clause)Root वि + √अश् (अश्नुते/अश्नोति ‘to reach, attain’)
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अधिकरण-निपातःRole (connective particle)Root उत
- इदम्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (object of an implied/understood verb ‘(they reached) this’)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्तमम्
- highest; uppermostAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (agreeing with रजः)Role Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)Root उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of उद्/उपरि-भाव)
- रजः
- space; region; realm (often the mid/upper expanse)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (with इदम्; ‘this highest region/space’)Root रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: एते | पृष्ठानि | रोदसोः | विप्रयन्तः | व्यानशुः || उत | इदम् | उत्तमम् | रजः || 1) रोदसोः: रोदसी (द्विवचन) का षष्ठी-द्विवचन रूप। 2) विप्रयन्तः: वि+प्र+√इ से वर्तमान-शतृ कृदन्त ‘विप्रयन्त्’ का प्रथमा-बहुवचन। 3) व्यानशुः: वि+√अश् का लिट् 3बहु
- संहिता में ‘व्या॑नशुः’ (उदात्त/स्वरित चिह्न सहित) मिलता है। 4) उतेदम् = उत + इदम् (स्वर-संधि/संहिता-संयोग; ‘उतेदमु’ पाठ में ‘उ’ अनुनासिक/प्रगृह्य-प्रभाव सहित वैदिक संहिता-रूप)। 5) उत्तमं रजः: विशेषण-विशेष्य सामंजस्य
- रजः नपुंसक एकवचन होने से उत्तमम् नपुंसक एकवचन।
The meaning
Outer meaning
These (Soma-streams/powers), moving like inspired seers, have spread out and reached the heights/backs (pṛṣṭhāni) of the two worlds (heaven and earth); they have also reached the supreme luminous expanse (uttamaṃ rajaḥ).
Inner meaning
The purified Soma-consciousness, taking on the movement of the vipra (the illumined knower), rises through the whole range of embodied existence (the ‘two worlds’: mind and life/body) and touches their upper summits. It then breaks beyond ordinary mentality into the ‘highest rajas’—the supramental/luminous plane where truth is native. The verse describes ascent: from inspired seeking → widening attainment → supramental reach.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes luminous and steadfast, consciousness can traverse and integrate all levels of our nature and then open to a higher order of truth where clarity, unity, and right movement are spontaneous.
Themes
ascent, cosmic planes, Soma as ladder of worlds
The seer
- Rishi
- Soma Pavamāna seers (traditionally attributed to the Soma hymns’ seer-families; exact individual uncertain)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 9.22, Rig Veda 9.23, Rig Veda 9.61, Rig Veda 9.62
Family tradition
Book 9 is the Soma Pavamāna maṇḍala: a liturgical-visionary corpus where many verses are credited to various rishis but united by the inner experience of purification and ascent through Soma.
Significance
The ‘seer’ here is less a named person than a repeatable state: when Soma (delight-consciousness) is purified, it becomes the vipra-force that can climb the worlds and open the highest luminous expanse.
The deity
- Devata
- Soma Pavamāna (Soma in the act of purification)
- Epithets
- Pavamāna (self-purifying), Indu (bright drop), Madhu (honeyed), Pavitra (moving through the filter)
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Sūrya, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator of ascent: Soma carries the offering upward, clarifies the inner atmosphere, and establishes luminous order by its flowing purification.
Inner power
Ananda-shakti (bliss-force) that, when refined, becomes a steady luminous current enabling higher perception and widening.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and purification (pavamāna) chants in Soma-yajña
ए॒ते पृ॒ष्ठानि॒ रोद॑सोर्विप्र॒यन्तो॒ व्या॑नशुः । उ॒तेदमु॑त्त॒मं रज॑: ॥
ए॒ते । पृ॒ष्ठानि॑ । रोद॑सोः । वि॒ऽप्र॒यन्तः॑ । वि । आ॒न॒शुः॒ । उ॒त । इ॒दम् । उ॒त्ऽत॒मम् । रजः॑ ॥
ete | pṛṣṭhāni | rodasoḥ | vi-prayantaḥ | vi | ānaśuḥ | uta | idam | ut-tamam | rajaḥ
Ascending, expansive cadence suggested by repeated reach/arrival verbs (ānaśuḥ) and wide vowels; suited to an ‘upward surge’ of thought.
Supports a felt sense of widening and climbing—good for meditation on ascent beyond the twofold nature into a higher luminous space.
- pṛṣṭhāni
- Literal: backs, ridges, upper surfaces, heights. Symbolic: the upper ranges/summits of planes of consciousness; the ‘high places’ of mind and life where forces turn toward the Light
- rodasoḥ
- Literal: the two worlds (Heaven and Earth). Symbolic: mind and life/body; the subjective and objective poles of experience to be harmonized by the inner sacrifice
- viprayantaḥ
- Literal: moving/going as vipras (inspired seers). Symbolic: a movement of inspired discernment; aspiration guided by intuitive intelligence rather than desire
- uttamam
- Literal: highest, supreme. Symbolic: the culminating station of ascent; the peak of consciousness beyond mixed light
- rajaḥ
- Literal: luminous space/region; (also) atmosphere. Symbolic: the wide luminous consciousness (often the mid/heavenly expanse); here the supreme luminous realm akin to supramental vastness
Pavamāna: ascent imagery corresponds to Soma’s ‘going’ to the gods and to the offering-height; inner practice: raising consciousness to higher planes
During Soma filtration/pressing sequences; sung/recited as Soma is purified and offered
Chanting while Soma passes through the filter into vessels; invocation of Soma’s ascent and luminous reaching
Used as a contemplative chant for ‘rising above duality’ (mind/body; inner/outer) and opening to a higher clarity before meditation or study.
ródasī ‘the two worlds’ is a fixed dual; pṛṣṭha ‘back/upper surface’ used for ‘summit/height’; rájas ‘space/expanse’ can be dark or luminous by context—here uttamáṃ indicates the supreme, hence ‘highest expanse’ (often read as a highest luminous region). vipra from √vip/√vep semantic field ‘tremble, be excited’ → inspired, vibrant consciousness.
vertical symbolism of consciousness, uttama rajas as supreme plane, integration of dualities (rodasī)
Soma’s purified movement is a ṛtaic ascent—orderly widening that aligns the lower worlds to the higher luminous law.
Reaching the ‘uttama rajas’ implies entry into a truth-native consciousness where perception is less mixed with error.
Ascent from divided worlds to the highest luminous expanse mirrors the Vedic creation-motif: emergence of light and vastness from limitation.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent toward supramental truth-consciousness through purified Ananda.
The flowing Soma is the bliss-current; sky/earth are mind and embodied life; the ‘highest rajas’ is the vast luminous plane of awakened truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Soma as a traveler that reaches the ‘tops’ of heaven-and-earth and the ‘highest expanse.’ Mythically it is the offering that goes to the gods; psychologically it is the uplift of consciousness beyond the dual field into a supreme plane (uttama rajas).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The dual ‘two worlds’ formula is an archaic IE cosmological pattern (sky/earth dyad). The spatial lexicon (pṛṣṭha, rajas, uttama) encodes a vertical cosmology typical of early Indo-European poetic traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s aspiration for higher realization is enacted by Soma’s movement: Soma becomes the operative power that ‘reaches’ where the human normally cannot, carrying the being across the twofold domain into the supreme expanse.
Feel a purified current rising through the whole being, integrating ‘two worlds’ (mind and life) and opening into a vast luminous stillness above the head.
Sahasrara (opening to the ‘highest expanse’); Ajna as the vipra-illumined guidance
Gentle ujjayi or slow nasal breathing with an upward attention on the inhale; brief stillness after inhale to ‘touch the vast’.
Widening (bṛhat) leading to quiet illumination and a sense of overhead presence.
Chant 3–9 times; then sit with attention above the crown, allowing thoughts to broaden and thin out, as if entering a clear sky. Offer any agitation into the ‘Soma-stream’ and let it refine.
Not fully determinable without pada-svara notation; generally chant with Vedic three-tone awareness (udātta rise, anudātta low, svarita fall) following the śākhā tradition.
Keep clear word boundaries per padapāṭha: ete | pṛṣṭhāni | rodasoḥ | viprayantaḥ | vy ānaśuḥ | utedam | uttamaṃ | rajaḥ.
ro-da-soḥ: final visarga-like ḥ should be light; do not overaspirate, viprayantaḥ: keep ‘pr’ conjunct crisp; final ‘ḥ’ soft, vy ānaśuḥ: separate ‘vy’ + ‘ā’; lengthen ā in ānaśuḥ, uttamaṃ: double ‘tt’ held slightly, rajaḥ: ‘j’ as in ‘judge’; final ḥ soft
Clear, slightly uplifted tone with a gentle crescendo toward ‘uttamam rajaḥ’.
9
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